# Sign Regulations in Lower Merion Township, Pennsylvania

Sign permit rules, size and height limits, setbacks, and ordinance citations for Lower Merion Township, Pennsylvania, compiled by PermitPal from the jurisdiction's published municipal code.

- **Jurisdiction:** Lower Merion Township, Pennsylvania (PA)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/pennsylvania/lower-merion-township
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-28
- **Source:** [ecode360 municipal code](https://ecode360.com/6529276#6529276)

## At a glance

Lower Merion Township, Pennsylvania regulates 44 sign types across 7 zoning districts. Freestanding Pole Signs in the VC, TC, NC, I, LI, RHR, BMV zoning district are capped at 15 ft tall and 40 sq ft, with a 5 ft from ROW setback (Sec. Table 9.1; Table 9.2.D).

## Sign rules by zoning district (7 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| General Regulations For All Zones | 11 | 5 ft | 12 sq ft | — |
| LDR, MDR | 3 | 6 ft | 10 sq ft | — |
| VC, TC, NC, I, LI, RHR, BMV | 17 | 15 ft | 75 sq ft | — |
| CAD | 9 | 20 ft (must be below sill line of 2nd floor windows) | 200 sq ft total | — |
| Medical Center District (MC), Bryn Mawr Medical District (BMMD) | 6 | ≤15 ft above pavement/sidewalk (must be below cornice/frieze); min height from bottom to sidewalk 7 ft; ground floor must terminate at least 18 in below 2nd floor sill; projection 3-7 ft; edge at least 24 in from curb; may not cover more than 2/3 of sidewalk width | 60 sq ft per sign; all wall/projecting signs on building ≤10% of wall area (including windows/doors/cornices) | — |
| Institutional Districts | 1 | 15 ft max (except flag signs) | 20 sq ft max | — |
| Light Industrial (LI) District | 3 | — | 100 sq ft per sign | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 7 zones)

### VC, TC, NC, I, LI, RHR, BMV

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| A-Frame Sidewalk (Temporary) | 3.5 ft | 8.75 sq ft | — | — | 1 per ground floor tenant | In public right-of-way, at least 3 ft from curb, 4 ft clear path | — | Table 9.1; Table 9.2.Q |
| Awning Sign | 8 ft minimum, 15 ft maximum | 25% of sloped plane | 30 ft | — | — | May project into ROW to within six feet of curb; subject to projection/height rules | — | Table 9.1; Table 9.2.A |
| Canopy Sign | 8 ft min, 15 ft max | 40 sq ft per sign | 30 ft | — | 1 per entry | Affixed to sides or front of canopy; may project into setback to within six feet of curb | — | Table 9.1; Table 9.2.B |
| Freestanding Pole Sign | 15 ft | 40 sq ft | — | 5 ft from ROW | 1 per parcel | — | — | Table 9.1; Table 9.2.D |
| Freestanding Ground/Monument Sign | 4 ft (1-2 tenants), 8 ft (3+ tenants) | 20 sq ft (1-2 tenants), 40 sq ft (3+ tenants) | — | 5 ft from ROW | 1 per street frontage | — | — | Table 9.1; Table 9.2.E |
| Wall Plaque Sign | 5 ft | 6 sq ft | — | — | 1 per entry | 1 per entry, max projection 3 inches | — | Table 9.1; Table 9.2.K |
| Development Sign (Temporary) | 6 ft | 10 sq ft | — | — | 1 per frontage | 1 per frontage; not in public ROW | — | Table 9.1; Table 9.2.S |
| Directional Sign | 5 ft | 4 sq ft | — | — | 1 per direction point per parcel | 1 per direction point per parcel | — | Table 9.1; Table 9.2.M |

### CAD

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Flush-Mounted Wall Sign | 20 ft (must be below sill line of 2nd floor windows) | 65 sq ft per sign | — | — | 1 per tenant per street front; 2 if also facing parking lot | Mounted parallel to façade; second sign allowed if facing parking lot | — | §155-9.8A(5), (3) |
| Blade and Shingle Sign | 20 ft max (min 10 ft above grade/sidewalk, below 2nd floor sill) | 20 sq ft per sign | — | — | 1 per ground floor establishment + 1 for any public entrance not to ground floor | Perpendicular or beneath an armature from façade; one per ground floor establishment | — | §155-9.8A(6) |
| Banner Sign | — | 25 sq ft | — | — | 1 per retail storefront | Perpendicular to façade; minimum mounting height 14 ft above grade/sidewalk, not past 3rd story | — | §155-9.8A(7) |
| Freestanding Monument Sign | 8 ft unless more needed for visibility (unsafe conditions) | 50 sq ft | — | — | 1 per lot street frontage | 1 per lot street frontage | — | §155-9.8A(8) |
| Upper Level Corporate/Building ID Sign | 10 ft | 200 sq ft total | — | — | — | Mounted to top floor of buildings >100 ft in height | — | §155-9.8A(9) |
| Awnings/Canopies | Bottom ≥8 ft above sidewalk (valance ≥7 ft); ground floor canopy/awning height ≤15 ft | Length: ≤30 ft; area controlled by tenant mark on valance or front plane | — | — | — | Over windows/entries, ground floor or above | — | §155-9.8A(10) |
| Wall Plaque | 5 ft on center above grade | 6 sq ft | — | — | 2 per usable entry | 2 per usable entry | — | §155-9.8A(11) |
| Street Address Plaque | 5 ft on center above grade or horizontally centered above doors | 3 sq ft | — | — | minimum 1 at main entry | 1 minimum at main entry | — | §155-9.8A(12) |

### Medical Center District (MC), Bryn Mawr Medical District (BMMD)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Freestanding Sign | 10 ft; 6 ft if in required perimeter setback (MCD) or front yard setback (BMMD) | 50 sq ft | — | — | see above | 1 per principal building, +1 per frontage with ingress/egress driveway; must be within 50 ft of buildings listed | — | §155-9.8B(1)(a) |
| Wall Sign | — | 60 sq ft per sign; all wall/projecting signs on building ≤10% of wall area (including windows/doors/cornices) | — | — | — | — | — | §155-9.8B(1)(b) |
| Emergency Department Canopy Sign | — | — | — | — | — | On or on top of emergency department canopy fascias | — | §155-9.8B(1)(c) |
| Directional/Instructional Sign (MC) | 8 ft (10 ft if obstructed); 6 ft in required perimeter 125 ft setback | 24 sq ft per face | — | 125 ft from street line, outside 75 ft buffer (see exceptions) | — | Must be set back 125 ft from street line; outside 75 ft perimeter buffer (see specific exceptions) | — | §155-9.8B(2)(a) |
| Directional/Instructional Sign (BMMD) | 6 ft | 10 sq ft per face | — | Outside required buffer | — | Outside required buffer area | — | §155-9.8B(2)(b) |
| Awnings/Canopies | ≤15 ft above pavement/sidewalk (must be below cornice/frieze); min height from bottom to sidewalk 7 ft; ground floor must terminate at least 18 in below 2nd floor sill; projection 3-7 ft; edge at least 24 in from curb; may not cover more than 2/3 of sidewalk width | — | — | — | — | Ground floor or above, over entrance/windows | — | §155-9.8B(4) |

## Prohibited signs in Lower Merion Township

- It shall be unlawful for any person to mutilate, tear down, destroy or injure in any manner any of the signboards, guardrails or other property of the township.
- It shall be unlawful for any person to willfully, maliciously or negligently injure, pull down or break any lamppost, bracket or fixture, any gas or electric lamp or any street sign; or carry away, diminish or reduce the oil, gasoline, naphtha, gas or electricity supplied to any public lamp or light; or extinguish any such light or turn off, wholly or partly, the supply of oil, gasoline, naphtha, gas or electricity to such lamp or light; or injure, break, deface or daub any mantle, glove or shade; or screen or otherwise obscure any public light, lamp, globe or any street sign.
- A permit is required for the erection, relocation, reconstruction or refabrication of all signs, except for those which are specifically exempted, provided that they are otherwise in compliance with this article.
- Illuminated signs are prohibited, except where specified in this article.
- Glare which is determined to be hazardous or distracting to pedestrians, vehicle drivers, or adjacent properties is prohibited.
- No sign shall be placed in such a position as to endanger pedestrians, bicyclists, or traffic on a street by obscuring the view of or interfering with official street signs or signals by virtue of position or color.
- No sign may occupy a vehicular sight triangle, as determined by the Township's Traffic Safety Department.
- Signs and their supporting structures shall maintain clearance and noninterference with all surface and underground utility and communications lines and equipment.
- No sign shall extend closer than one foot to the vertical edge of a building corner, or to the fascia, roofline or parapet.
- Signs may not be located in or project into the public right-of-way unless permitted as described in this article or Article III.
- Sign makers' logos, labels, or other identification are prohibited.
- Vinyl applied copy is prohibited except for window signs and manual changeable copy signs where permitted.
- Every sign shall be constructed of durable materials; shall be structurally safe and erected or installed in strict accordance with the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code; and shall be maintained in safe condition and good repair at all times so that all sign information is clearly legible.
- Abandoned signs are prohibited.
- Any sign which by color, shape or location imitates, resembles, interferes with, or obstructs official traffic lights, signs, or signals is prohibited.
- Any off-premises sign, except as may be provided for within this article, is prohibited.
- Any portable sign, except A-frame sidewalk signs, is prohibited.
- Any sign erected without the permission of the property owner or authorized agent is prohibited.
- Any sign that creates a clear and present danger to life, safety or welfare, as determined by the Director of Building and Planning or the Superintendent of Police, is prohibited.
- Any sign which obstructs free ingress to or egress from a required exitway is prohibited.
- Any sign which uses an intermittent light or lights, including flashing lights, beacon lights, strobe lights, rotating beacons, chasing lights, or zip lights, including electronically controlled copy changes, is prohibited.
- Any illuminated tubing or strings of lights which outline rooflines, doors, windows, wall edges or rows of vehicles when used for advertising purposes, with the exception of temporary seasonal lights, is prohibited.
- Any pennant strings, balloons or other inflatable objects, and streamers are prohibited.
- Any snipe sign is prohibited.
- Mechanical movement signs, including revolving signs, are prohibited.
- Interactive signs are prohibited.
- Reflective signs or signs containing mirrors are prohibited.
- Inflatable signs or balloon signs, with the exception of balloons used in temporary, noncommercial situations, are prohibited.
- Vehicular signs are prohibited.
- Any sign which exhibits statements, words or pictures of obscene or pornographic subjects is prohibited.
- Any sign inconsistent with the provisions of this article is prohibited.
- Any sign that emits smoke, visible vapors, particulate matter, sound, odor, or contains open flames is prohibited.
- No person may erect or maintain a sign in the public right-of-way, other than a temporary sign when in compliance with the regulations set forth below.
- No temporary sign may be erected which would interfere with a motorist's view of vehicular or pedestrian traffic, traffic signs, street signs or street numbers, within 18 inches of a curbline, in front of one's property without permission, on a traffic island not for the use of motor vehicles or on any area between lanes, on public property or in the right-of-way in front of public property, or attached to a permanent pole or structure within the right-of-way or which would constitute an obstruction.
- It shall be unlawful to operate or park a vehicle in a manner other than in compliance with posted signs giving notice of parking, driveway, or weight regulations on municipal or business property.
- No person in a park or playground shall paste, glue, tack or otherwise post any sign, placard, advertisement or inscription whatever on any tree, building, fence, playground equipment or other property in a park or playground without proper authorization.

## Signs exempt from permit in Lower Merion Township

- Official traffic signs are exempt from permit requirements.
- Governmental/regulatory signs are exempt from permit requirements.
- Public service signs which only advertise the public service provided on the property where the sign is located are exempt from permit requirements.
- "No trespassing" or similar on-premises signs, provided that no sign exceeds one square foot in sign area or be placed at intervals of less than 150 feet (or in accordance with state law), are exempt from permit requirements.
- Temporary signs, except as noted in Table 9.1, are exempt from permit requirements.
- Memorial signs are exempt from permit requirements.
- Seasonal and holiday decorations are exempt from permit requirements.
- Address or nameplate signs are exempt from permit requirements.
- Signs which are permanent architectural features of a building or structure existing as of the effective date of this article are exempt from permit requirements.
- Flags are exempt from permit requirements.
- Art and murals, provided that such signs do not contain any commercial messaging, are exempt from permit requirements.
- In the Medical Center District and Bryn Mawr Medical District, directional and instructional signs are exempt from permit requirements (subject to size and placement limits).

## Sign plan & submission notes

- Signs are regulated by district and according to Table 9.1, Permitted Sign Locations and Permit Types, and § 155-9.8, District specific signs.
- A permit is required for the erection, relocation, reconstruction or refabrication of all signs, except those specifically exempted.
- Sign types are regulated according to Table 9.1 (Permitted Sign Locations and Permit Types) and Table 9.2 (General Sign Type Standards and Regulations), with additional district-specific standards in § 155-9.8.
- The ordinance does not explicitly reference a master sign plan or sign variance meeting requirement in the provided sections.
- Any sign that is not conforming to these standards upon replacement, resizing, or substantial alteration must be brought into compliance with the current ordinance (see § 155-9.7).

## Full detail

This page publishes an overview of every zoning district plus a sample of 3 districts in full. Complete zone-by-zone requirements for all 7 zoning districts in Lower Merion Township — every sign type, every field — are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Lower+Merion+Township+PA&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-lower-merion-township

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